Refrigerating apparatus



Oct. 11, 1932. J. R. FEHR REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. si. 192"! 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 viii. I

Oct. 11, 1932. J. R. FEHR REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Filed Aug. 31. 1 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 ever, that the present invention may be Patented Oct. 11, 1932 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE JOHN RALPH FEHR, OF DAYTON, OHIO, ASSIGNOR, IBY MESNE ASSIGNMENTS, TO FRIGIDAIRE CORPORATION, A CORPORATION OF DELAWARE REFRIGERATING APPARATUS Application filed August 81,- 1927. Serial No. 216,750.

This invention relates to cooling units for mechanical refrigerators, and more partlcularly to cooling units which are adapted to be installed in refrigerator cabinets of the household type. It is to be understood, howadapted for larger refrigerating cabinets of the commercial type.

The present invention includes among its objects the provision of a cooling unit of simple and economical construction, which will quickly congeal or freeze substances placed within a freezing compartment provided by the unit, and which will effectively cool the food compartment of the cabinet.

Further objects and advantages of the present invention will be apparent from the following description, reference being had to the accompanying drawings wherein a preferred embodiment of one form of the present invention is clearly shown.

In the drawings:

Fig. 1 is a front view of a refrigerator cabinet with the doors open to show the food compartment and a cooling unit within a cooling compartment;

Fig. 2 is a view on a larger scale than Fig. 1, showing the front View of the cooling unit which is suspended within the cooling compartment of a cabinet, the walls of which are shown in vertical section;

Fig. 3 is a detail, front view of the cooling unit, certain parts being shown in section and other parts omitted for the sake of clearness;

unit;

Fig. 5 is a sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 3.

Fig. 6 is a fragmentary sectional view taken in the direction of the arrow 6 of Fig. 3; and

Fig. 7 is a fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 77 of Fig. 3.

Referring to the drawings, 20 designates a refrigerating cabinet, which provides an L-shaped food compartment 21 separated from a cooling compartment 22 by horizontal partition 23 and a vertical partition 24. The partition 24 is provided with a flue 25 admitting relatively warm air from the food Fig. 4 is a side elevation of the cooling compartment 21 to the cooling compartment 22; and the partition 23 is provided with a flue 26, admitting cooled air from the compartment 22 to the compartment 21. The partition 23 supports a baffle 27, which prevents moisture, dripping from the cooling unit above, from entering the fiue 26. The baffle 27 directs such moisture upon the surface of the partition 23 and this moisture is conducted away through a drain pipe 28.

The cooling unit located within the coo ing compartment 22 includes a boiler or header 30 attached to the top wall of the cabinet by bracket members 31 and 32. The condensed refrigerant is conducted to the header 30 from a compressor and condenser (not shown) through a pipe 33 and a fitting 34. Refrigerant is admitted from the fitting 34, as needed, by a float control valve (not shown) of suitable construction, located within the header 30. Expanded refrigerant is conducted back to the compressor through a fitting 35 and a pipe 36. The refrigerating compressor and condenser with which the pipes 33 and 36 are connected, may be located outside of the cabinet, if desired, or may be placed within a machine compartment, located below the food compartment 21, said machine compartment having a removable front wall 37, provided with louvres 38.

The header 30 is provided with a series of openings 40, arranged in rows on opposite sides of the bottom surface of said header. Refrigerant conducting ducts 39 are adapted to be secured to the header by welding or any other suitable process, so that a duct communicates with each opening 40 of the header.

The present drawings indicate the ducts as comprising sheet metal, having serpentine bends, providing a plurality of joined U- shaped members 41 and 42 including branch portions and connecting yoke portions. As shown in the Fig. 5, the U-shaped members 41 have shorter branch portions than the U- shaped members 42, so that between each U- between which the recesses are formed. A cover plate 43 engages the yoke portions 42a of the longer branched U-shaped members thereby isolating the various recesses and the two end passages,

.. said folds forming supporting means for a shelf upon which the receptacles 46, adapted to receive any suitable material to be con gealed or frozen, are supported.

In Fig. 5 it may be seen that the duct construction, as described heretofore, provides a row of refrigerant conducting means on each side of the header 30, the cover plates 43 being contiguous and enclosing the freezing space of the refrigerator on two sides. The joined branches of the U-shaped members provide fins, which extend more remotely from the freezing space and are adapted to cool the air circulating through the cooling compartment. A plate 47 covers one end of the freezing compartment, while the receptacles 46 are inserted at the end opposite the plate 4 The bottom or open end of the ducts may communicate through apertures 51 with the interior of a hollow bottom header 50, provided with one or more chambers or ducts which may connect the opposed upright ducts 39 at opposite sides of the cooling unit toform therewith U-shaped ducts, or which may connect together three or more ducts 39, or even all of them, as desired. If desired, the bottom header 50 may be omitted and the freezing compartment left open at the bottom, in which case the ducts 39 are of course sealed at their lower ends, or the bottom header 50 may be replaced by a simple closure plate for the freezing compartment.

From the foregoing it may be seen that the quick freezing space is defined by the header 30 at the top, the header 50 at the bottom, the two cover plates 43 at the sides, and at the one end by the plate 47 the other end being open to receive receptacles 46. Refrigerant in the passages of the ducts lies adjacent the cover plates 43, so that the freezing space will be held comparatively colder than the air 5 aces about the cooling unit and into which tiie fins extend.

The resent construction provides a simple and e cient means for conducting refrigerant from a refrigerant supply device, shown in the form of a header in the present drawings, the sheet metal formation of said ducts being economical and facilitating production. I

While the form of embodiment of the present invention as herein disclosed, constitutes a preferred form, it is to be understood that 7/ L'In refrigerating apparatus including a freezing space the combination of a header; refrigerant ducts communicating with the header and arranged in rows on each side thereof, each row comprising a wallv portion provided with a plurality of recesses and a cover plate for each row of recesses hermetically sealed to the wall portions to isolate the recesses, said walls enclosing the freezing space on two sides; fins integral with the wall portions and extending therefrom adjacent each recess; and means hermetically sealed to the free ends of the ducts to provide communication therebetween.

2. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, a refrigerant supply device; re-

frigerant ducts communicating with said device, said ducts being formed by a sheet metal w all provided .with parallel groovesand a cover p ate attached to the wall so as to isolate saidvgrooves to define separate passages; extending folds provided in the sheet metal wall adjacent each groove, forming fins; and a conduit hermetically sealed to the free ends of the ducts to provide communication between them at these ends.

3. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, a header; ducts communicating with said header, said. ducts comprising a sheet ,metal wall having serpentine bends providing a plurality of joined U-shaped members havln branches and connecting yoke portions, tie branches of alternate U- shaped members being lon er than the others, thereby providing space recesses, a cover plate hermetically attached tothe yoke portions of the longer U-shaped members so as to isolate the recesses; and means for seal-' ing the free ends of the ducts from the atmosphere. I

4. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, a header; ducts communicating with said header, said ducts comprising a sheet metal wall having serpentine bends providing a plurality of joined U-shaped members having branches and connecting yoke portions, the branches of alternate U- 1 wall formedin serpentine fashion to provide a plurality of joined U-shaped members ineluding branches and connecting yoke portions, the branches of alternate members being longer than the intermediate ones, thereby forming recesses, a cover plate attached to the yoke portions of the longer branched U-shaped members of each row, hermetically sealed to said portions to isolate the recesses; and a conduit sealed to the open ends of the rows of ducts, providing communication therebetween and cooperating with said cover plates to enclose the freezing space.

6. Refrigerating apparatus comprising, in combination, a refrigerant supply device; refrigerant ducts communicating with said supply device, each duct comprising a recessed wall portion and a cover plate for said recesses hermetically sealed to the wall portion; separate means for hermetically sealing the open ends of the ducts from the atmosphere and an individual fin extending from the wall portion parallel to and adjacent each recess.

7. Evaporating means including a plurality of ducts comprising asheet metal wall.

having serpentine bends providing a plurality of joined U-shaped -members having branches and connecting yoke portions, the branches of alternateU-shaped members being longer than the others, thereby providing spaced recesses.

In testimony whereof I hereto aflix my signature.

JOHN RALPH FEHR. 

